#withinchains

@withinchains Sends you a STAR at the speed of light

@neve-ra

She would never realize it, but her words shook something heavy from his shoulders— as if a weight he didn't know he carried had been pulled away with her hands— that she had been the only one to see it. Perhaps he should have expected it, she was a detective, impossibly aware of her surroundings, seeing things no one else could.

Neve saw right through him, saw right through that thick outer shell Rook had painstakingly put together to keep others away, to keep them safe— to keep himself safe. Maybe it was easy for her to see, for she, too, maintained that selfsame shell. She saw in him what he forced upon himself. The burden of responsibility, of leadership, and the shoes he had been unceremoniously placed into, and his intense desire to prove himself worthy.

He was more than this sudden leader, more than a shadow dragon, more than the tower sworn to protect the king upon the chess board, more than 'rook'. No one else seemed to see that, not even him— but she did. Who else could?

And so, a soft chuckle is pulled from his chest, the smallest of smiles pulling at one corner of his lip.

"You always seem to know just what to say."

I just hope something I become is yours, too — he wants to add, but he forces it down with a swallow. His smile remains, and so does the hand he places upon hers.

" you're shivering. here, take my jacket. "

                    𝘰𝘧   𝘢𝘭𝘭   𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴,   𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵   𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘦   𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴   𝘵𝘩𝘦   𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵   𝘪𝘴   𝘵𝘰   𝘣𝘦   𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦   —   not   go   home,   because   that   means saying   goodbye   to   all   other   guests,   getting   in   the   car   and   driving   for   an   hour   or   so   before   she   can   rest   in   her   own   bed,   away   from   sounds   too   loud   and   rooms   too   crowded.   or,   if   aphelios   allowed   (   he   would   never   say   no   to   her,   though   ),   she   would   spend   the   night   with   him   ;   curled   up   within   her   brother's   comforting   embrace,   safe   and   sound   from   all   journalists,   paparazzis   and   people   from   the   industry   wishing   to   meet   the   band's   manager.

                    but,   heartsteel   can't   leave   just   yet,   and   she   understands   (   or   rather,   believes   )   that   sometimes   (   always   )   the   future   of   the   band   is   way   more   important   than   her   own   wellness.   few   minutes   outside   would   do   the   trick,   or   so   she   thought   —   phel's   already   on   water   duty,   but   only   after   assurance   lunie   will   be   okay   with   being   left   alone.

                    it's   quieter   here,   that's   for   sure.   colder,   too,   but   that's   good   —   inside,   it's   hot,   too   hot,   hard   -   to   -   breathe   hot   ;   now,   she   can   take   a   deep   breath   and…

                    nose   scrunches   an   instant   upon   noticing   cigarette   smoke   in   the   air,   &   there's   this   odd   pull   towards   the   source   ;   behind   the   corner,   magentas   meet   emerald,   and   alune's   frown   turns   upside   down,   lips   curling   into   a   smile.

                    there   are   people   who   are   afraid   of   kayn   and   the   thought   of   approaching   him   makes   them   shiver   in   fear.   it's   the   reputation   and   aura,   his   presence   threatening   &   dangerous.   lunie   is   not   one   of   these   people   —   approaches   with   confidence,   not   at   all   scared   of   someone   deemed   a   weirdo.   isn't   she   one,   too?

                    ❝   it's   bad   for   your   health,   ❞   the   pink   -   haired   states   half   -   heartedly,   repeating   it   for   the   god   -   knows   -   which   time,   knowing   too   well   she   has   done   her   fair   share   of   smoking   as   well.   shieda   however   knows   of   other   things   bad   for   one's   health,   and   thus   doffs   his   jacket   ;   is   it   really   that   cold?   alune   hasn't   noticed   —   but   when   the   fabric   is   draped   over   her   shoulders,   smaller   frame   suddenly   enveloped   in   warmth,   she   notices   she   might've   been   shivering,   really.

                    it's   suddenly   so,   so   sad   and   her   smile   falters.   it   shoudl've   been   yasuo's.   but   then,   she   raises   her   gaze   at   kayn,   now   with   his   stomach   and   arms   exposed,   and   can't   help   but   trap   him   within   a   hug,   face   pressed   to   chest,   hands   around   his   waist.

"I've   been   waiting   a   long   time   for   someone   good   enough   to   take   me   down."

                    𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺   𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘳   𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴   𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬   𝘢𝘴   𝘪𝘯   𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯   𝘰𝘳   𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦,   opalescent   glimmer   lighting   up   features   veiled   in   the   dark.

                    ❝   oh?   ❞   the   angel's   head   tilts   to   the   side,   &   the   expression   is   soon   followed   by   a   girlish   giggle   —   heavenly   creature   covers   her   mouth   as   she   laughs,   and   it   sounds   like   little   windchimes,   like   the   earth   isn't   scorched   beneath   the   other's   feet,   like   the   devil   does   not   hold   a   scythe   sharp   enough   to   tear   through   heavens,   knocking   a   halo   off   alune's   head.

Send me a “🔆” if you enjoy seeing me on your dash!

@withinchains whispered: Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. he signs , stay close enough for comfort yet still leaving a bit of distance to not cause distress. i'll be right behind you. (from aphelios!)

MEME

{ ♪ } -- The signed words prompted a brief look of surprise, but she nodded her head slowly. Her visit to Ionia was going about as disastrously as it could. She'd intended to visit her paternal grandmother and aunt, but she'd unintentionally wound up in the middle of a sketchy situation.

While she'd been walking, the redhead had begun to be accosted. People thinking she wasn't Ionian... (well, they were half right. Her mother was Demacian.) That devolved into anger and arguments, and now she found herself wandering through back alleyways and trying to get back to her family home and safety. Arabella had briefly caught that his name was Aphelios. He seemed kind, eager to help her out of a pinch readily.

The signing wasn't a problem, either. Learning common sign was something she'd worked on early on, alongside the other languages she spoke. There was no telling when someone would have speech or hearing issues, after all, and the redhead always wanted to make new friends. That desire was sure coming in handy.

Turning to him again, she smiled.